Improvement in laced shoes



0. DUROOHER, Laced Shoes.

No. 216,029. Patenfed jun e 3, I879.

NJEYERS, PHOJI'OLITHQGMPNER. WASMINGYONl D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

OLIVIER DUROGHER, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LACED SHOE S.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,029, dated June 3, 1879; application filed October 28, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ()LI'VIER DUROCHER, of the city of Ottawa, in the county of Carleton, Canada, have invented certain Improvements in Laced Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in combining, with an ordinary shoe having a slit or opening in its front or side, an outside flap or covering to close the slit, and lacing-strings applied in a peculiar manner, hereinafter described, whereby the shoe is improved in appearance, adapted to fit equally well insteps of different heights, and the labor of fastening the shoe greatly reduced.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved shoe; Figs. 2 and 3, sectional views on the line a; :20, showing the shoe open and closed, respectively.

A represents the body of the shoe, which may be constructed in any ordinary form and manner, with aslit or opening to permit the introduction of the foot in the front or the side, as preferred.

B represents the flap or covering, consistin g merely of a tongue or strip of leather, or other similar material, applied to the outside of the shoe, over the slit or opening, and stitched or otherwise secured at the lower end to the shoe, as shown. Through each side of the flap, at suitable distances apart, I form a series or line of holes, a, and to the outside of the shoe, beneath the flap, I secure on each side of the slit or opening a line of small loops, rings, ears, or other guides, 1), corresponding in number and location with the holes in the flap. Through each hole in the flap I pass a cord, 0, the inner end of which is also passed through the corresponding loop or guide on theshoe, and thence back to the inside of the flap, where it is permanently secured close to the hole through which it e11- tered. On each side of the shoe the outer ends of the cords are permanently secured together in pairs, as shown.

In fastening the shoe each pair of united cords on one side is tied to the corresponding pair on the opposite side, there being ordior guides, and that consequently the shoe always remains laced and ready to tie.

It will also be noted that, owing to the fact of the flap being on the outside, there is no danger of the foot being chafed, as by the inside tongues ordinarily employed; and, also, that, owing to the external application of the flap, the shoe will present a neat and finished appearance when applied to a foot having an instep so high as to spread open the slit, the flap serving to cover and completely conceal the slit at all times, and consequently giving to the shoe a greatly-improved appearance.

Another advantage arising from the use of the separate cords, as described, is that, unlike the usual single cord, they admit of the shoe being drawn tightly over the instep, as required, while at the same time it may be left loose and free above and below.

It is manifest that the cords need not be secured together in pairs unless desired, and that, if preferred, the flap and the cords may be secured permanently to the shoe on one side of the slit or opening.

It is also evident that each cord may be passed through two or more guides on. the shoe and. flap, if desired. The arrangement represented in the drawings is, however, con sidered the best that can be used for ordinary purposes. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. The combination of the shoe A, having loops or guides thereon, the external flap, B, provided with perforations a, and the cords O,

secured to the inside of the flap, and passed thence through the guides, and outward through the perforations in the flap.

2. The combination of the shoe, the single external flap, and the series of cords passing from the shoe through the flap and left free at their outer ends, so that they may be drawn and tied on the outside, in order to fitland arranged in the peculiar manner shown, and fasten the shoe on insteps of different heights, permanently fastened together in pairs at and that the flap may be drawn smooth and their outer ends on each side of the shoe.

tight under all circumstances. OLIVIER DUROOHER.

3. In combination with the shoe and its Witnesses: guides I); the single external perforated flap L. N. LEMIEUX,

provided with holes a, and the series of cords J. GOURSOLLE. 

